Lewis & Short

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pugna, ae, f. [root pug, in pugno and pungo; cf. pugil], prop. a fight fist to fist, man to man; hence, in gen., a fight between individuals or armies, a battle, combat, action, engagement (cf.: dimicatio, proelium).

  1. I. Lit.: dictator eam pugnam laudibus tulit (of the single combat of Torquatus), Liv. 7, 10 fin.: nonnumquam res ad manus atque ad pugnam veniebat, came to blows, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 11, § 28; Liv. 2, 46: diuturnitate pugnae defessi proelio excedebant, Caes. B. G. 3, 4, 3: alii nuntiant dictatori omnes legiones Etruscorum capessisse pugnam, Liv. 10, 5, 41: ex omnibus pugnis (Pompeii), quae sunt innumerabiles, Cic. Mur. 16, 34: exitus pugnarum, id. Mil. 21, 56: equestris, a cavalry action, id. Verr. 2, 4, 55, § 122: magna, Liv. 22, 7: pedestris, Verg. A. 11, 707: Actia, Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 61: navalis, Nep. Arist. 2, 1: gladiatorum, Suet. Aug. 45: prospera, Suet. Calig. 35: mala, Sall. J. 56, 3; Cic. Div. 2, 25, 54: singularis, a duel, Macr. S. 5, 2.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. Troops drawn up for battle, a line of battle (rare): ordinata per principes hastatosque ac triarios pugna, Liv. 22, 5: mediam pugnam tueri, the middle line, central division, id. 22, 45; cf.: segregat pugnam eorum, id. 1, 25: pugnam mutare, Curt. 3, 2, 14.
    2. B. A battle, contest, dispute, quarrel, in gen. (rare but class.): dabo aliam pugnam magnam, Plaut. Ps. 1, 5, 110: pugnam conserui seni, id. Bacch. 4, 9, 43; Ter. Eun. 5, 2, 60: quanta pugna est doctissimorum hominum, Cic. Div. 2, 51, 105: initurus forensium certaminum pugnam, Quint. 5, 12, 22; 8, 6, 1; 5, 7, 35: pugna inter testem et patronum, id. 6, 4, 21: rerum naturae pugna secum, Plin. 2, 33, 38, § 102: audiet pugnas juventus, stories of battle, Hor. C. 1, 2, 23: pugnas bibit aure vulgus, id. ib. 2, 13, 31.
      In mal. part., Mart. 10, 38, 6.

pugno, āvi, ātum, 1, v. n. and very rarely a. [root pug-, to thrust, strike, whence pugil, pungo, etc.], to fight, either singly or in armies, to combat, give battle, engage, contend (very freq. and class.).

  1. I. Lit.: neque sinistrā impeditā satis commode pugnare poterant, Caes. B. G. 1, 25: scutum manu emittere et nudo corpore pugnare, id. ib. 1, 25: eminus lapidibus, Sall. J. 57, 4: cominus in acie, Cic. Balb. 9, 23: ex equo, on horseback, id. N. D. 2, 2, 6: de loco, Ter. Hec. alt. prol. 33: de ponte, Hirt. B. Afr. 33: pro muro toto, id. ib. 13: ex iniquiore loco, id. ib. 42: pro commodis patriae, Cic. Inv. 1, 1, 1 al.
    With cum and abl.: elige, cum cive an hoste pugnare malis, Liv. 10, 36, 8: cum hoste in acie, Cic. Balb. 9, 22.
    With in and acc.: ne quis extra ordinem in hostem pugnaret, Liv. 8, 6, 16: in hostem imparem ex aequo pugnabant, id. 10, 43, 6: qui contra imperium in hostem pugnaverant, Sall. C. 9, 4; 52, 30.
    With adversum and acc.: saepe ante paucis strenuis advorsum multitudinem bene pugnatum, Sall. J. 107, 1: advorsum Gallos, id. ib. 114, 1.
    With a homogeneous object: magnam pugnavimu’ pugnam, Lucil. ap. Don. Ter. Eun. 5, 2, 60; cf.: haec pugna est pugnata, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 97: pugna summā contentione pugnata, Cic. Mur. 16, 34; Nep. Hann. 5, 1: inclitam in ponte pugnam … pugnatam, Liv. 6, 42, 5: proelia, Hor. C. 4, 9, 19; Sall. J. 54, 7: bella, Hor. C. 3, 19, 4; id. Ep. 1, 16, 25.
    Impers. pass.: pugnatur uno tempore omnibus locis, the battle is fought, they fight, Caes. B. G. 7, 84: cominus gladiis pugnatum est, id. ib. 1, 52: ut in mari quoque pugnetur velut e muris, Plin. 32, 1, 1, § 3.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. In gen., to contend, conflict, disagree, oppose, contradict; usu. with dat. of person, or with cum: pugnant Stoici cum Peripateticis, Cic. Fin. 2, 21, 68.
      With acc. and inf.: pugnare non destitit, non esse rerum controversiam, sed nominum, Cic. Fin. 3, 12, 41: non magno opere pugnare, to contend not very strongly, id. N. D. 3, 1, 3: noli pugnare duobus, Cat. 62, 64: ne cupias pugnare puellae, Prop. 1, 12 (10), 21; cf.: placitone etiam pugnabis amori? Verg. A. 4, 38: pressis pugnat habenis, id. ib. 11, 600: ne pugnet vulgus habenis, Stat. Th. 8, 289: tam eras excors, ut totā in oratione tuā tecum ipse pugnares, you contradicted yourself, Cic. Phil. 2, 8, 18.
      Of things: pugnat sententia secum, Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 97: pugnavit monitis furor, Sil. 10, 284: pugnatura fretis pila, id. 4, 298: frigida pugnabant calidis, umentia siccis, Mollia cum duris, etc., cold bodies contended with hot, moist with dry, etc., Ov. M. 1, 19: humus, Petr. poët. Sat. 123.
    2. B. To struggle, strive, to endeavor, take pains, exert one’s self for any thing (rare but class.): illud pugna et enitere, ne, etc., Cic. Fam. 3, 10, 3: id ne impetremus, pugnabis, id. Lig. 5, 13; cf.: hoc solum hoc tempore pugnatur, ut, etc., id. Rosc. Am. 3, 8: pugnas, ne reddar, Achille, Ov. H. 3, 25 Ruhnk.: pugnaremque collegae, ut, etc., Liv. 3, 64.
      Poet., with inf.: pugnat molles evincere somnos, Ov. M. 1, 685; 7, 772; id. H. 13, 77: incerto pedum pugnat non stare tumultu, Luc. 4, 753; Claud. Rapt. Pros. 2, 196; cf., of things, Lucr. 2, 205.
      P. a. as subst.: pugnan-tĭa, ium, n., contradictions, inconsistencies: pugnantia te loqui non vides? Cic. Tusc. 1, 7, 13; cf. Hor. S. 1, 2, 73; 1, 1, 102.